Watch: Simone Felice – Charade (Best Fit Session)

Simone Felice (his first name is pronounced without the ‘e’) has seen an unhealthy portion of his musical career brushed by tragedy.

Overcoming a brain aneurysm at the age of 12, he was pronounced clinically dead, momentarily, and had to re-learn how to read and write. His first record as part of The Duke and the King was written in the aftermath of a miscarriage. And less than two years ago, at the age of 33, he underwent open heart surgery.

He survived that most recent ordeal, writing about it for The Guardian last September. This published author, member of sibling collective The Felice Brothers and consummate storyteller has continued to metabolize biography into raw, tender artistic expression and April sees the release of his incredible self-titled solo album. Recorded in several different places – including his very own barn in the Catskills as well as a church in London’s Crouch End – this collection of songs celebrates life in all its forms and Felices’s heart-on-sleeve talent for narrative is central, as usual

On a breezy February afternoon, we met with with the charismatic fellow for a Best Fit Session and he gave us the heart string-tugging ‘Charade’.

A new single ‘You and I Belong’ is also released today (19 March) ahead of Felice’s long player, which hits the shops on 2 April.

Felice tours the UK throughout the spring and summer – dates below

April
6 – Railway Inn ,Winchester
7 – Jericho, Oxford
9 – Glee Club, Birmingham
10 – The Cluny, Newcastle Upon Tyne
11 – Electric Circus, Edinburgh
12 – Oran Mor, Glasgow
13 – Arts Centre, Kendal
16 – Deaf Institute, Manchester
17 – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
19 – The Empire Music Hall, Belfast
20 – John Cleere, Kilkenny
21 – Whelands, Dublin
22 – Cyprus Avenue, Cork
24 – The Chattery, Swansea
25 – Lantern Theatre, Sheffield
27 – Bush Hall, London (SOLD OUT)
28 – Colston Hall 2, Bristol
29 – Pocklington Arts Centre, Pocklington
30 – The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

May
2 – Glee Club, Nottingham
3 – Junction 2, Cambridge
4 – Coalition, Brighton

September
14 – Chapel Arts Centre, Bath
21 – Union Chapel, London
25 – Kazimer, Liverpool